ArmyAmber, Pixabay Wandering the streets of Kabul, Afghanistan in the 1960’s, one could have passed by women wearing miniskirts, walking alongside their male friends on their way to their university classes. Much has happened since then. The country has been in a state of conflict for nearly 40 years, and
By UPF Webzine
Activism/Articles/Corruption/Democracy/Leaders/Lecture/Migration/Nationalism/Security/UPF
The Contradictory Journey of Alexei Navalny: Liberalism, xenophobia and a progressive attitude
Evgeniy Isaev, Flickr To oppose an authoritarian regime is dangerous but to be the de facto leader is a danger on a completely new level. The threat of being silenced, murdered or imprisoned are ever present. Alexei Navalny represents this struggle; as an opposition leader in Russia he is currently
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Conflict/Europe/Human Rights/International Relations/Leaders/Middle East/Realities of Human Security/UPF
Yemen’s crisis: seven years of bombstorms, seven years of stalemate
Ibrahem Qasim, Wikimedia Commons Ten years ago, an unprecedented wave of social movements, sparked by weariness, hope, and a yearning for liberty and justice, led to the uprooting of several autocratic regimes in the Arab world. The mantra “the people want the fall of the regime” inspired millions of people to
By UPF Webzine
Activism/Articles/Asia/Climate Change/Culture/Economy And Trade/Environment/Europe/Lobbying/Progressive Politics/UPF
It’s not Smooth Sailing for Japanese Whaling
Global Panorama, Flickr On April 3rd, 2021, four whaling vessels left Ishinomaki and Hachinohe on Japan’s eastern coast. In June, they will be joined by a fifth vessel. These boats are setting out to partake in a highly controversial practice – commercial whaling. This practice has been halted worldwide since
By UPF Webzine
Articles/Central America/Climate Change/Corruption/Democracy/Environment/Freedom of Speech/Human Rights/Realities of Human Security/South America/UPF
‘The future we want’ – The Escazú Agreement and environmental democracy in Latin America
More than eight years after the Rio Conference on Sustainable Development, the first legally binding agreement emerging from it will enter into force in April: the Escazú Agreement. It is praised as a unique treaty breathing new life into the fight for environmental democracy and justice in Latin America and
Myanmar’s Strife
John Owens (VOA), Wikimedia Commons Myanmar—or Burma, as it was known—is a country with a troubled history. The latest example of this came to light in February 2021, when a coup d’état took place, enabling a group of military leaders (otherwise known as a ‘junta’) to grip the reins of
The Crown and the Army: Thailand’s Struggle for Democracy
Cover Photo by Wikimedia Commons Forty-three years. That is the sentence levied upon a Thai woman in her sixties who was found to have posted audio clips on Facebook and YouTube that allegedly insult the monarchy. Such a shocking forty-five year long sentence was issued because the court found the
The People Have Spoken – The Effects of Direct Democracy in Switzerland
On the 7th of March 2021, a controversial referendum was held in Switzerland. The outcome was that Swiss citizens voted for a ban of full facial coverings in public, passing by 51.2% to 48.8%. This measure was popularised by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) who campaigned with slogans such
Germany’s Super Election Year – What comes after Merkel?
Simon Varwell, Flickr The pandemic might have eclipsed some important upcoming political events, but with only six months left until the parliamentary elections to the German Bundestag, tension is mounting in Germany and amongst curious onlookers. The parliamentary elections on September 26th, 2021 will not only lead to a new
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Articles/Conflict/Interview/Magazine/Media/Middle East/Realities of Human Security/Security/UPF
To The Frontline and Beyond. Portraits of Swedish War Correspondents
PART 3: Niclas Hammarström & Magnus Falkehed In a new interview series, The Perspective sat down with four Swedish foreign correspondents to discuss the contrasting realities of peace and conflict, and their own thoughts on the clashes they cover. Parts 1 (Johan-Mathias Sommarström) and 2 (Terese Cristiansson) were published in